


Parkour!

by kristsune



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Competence Kink, Fluff and silliness, M/M, Realizations, having feelings all over howard carter hours, howard carter is competent and sexy, sorry i dont make the rules
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24851146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kristsune/pseuds/kristsune
Summary: Barnes and Carter are out on a mission, and Barnes witnesses another one of Carter's many talents.
Relationships: Commander Barnes/Howard Carter (Rusty Quill Gaming)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 42





	Parkour!

**Author's Note:**

> AS you can probably tell, i am back to work, and my writing has slowed to an absolute crawl. But I've been staring at this for too long and I just want people (well the whole 15-20 of us who are on this boat) to be able to read it.
> 
> This is thanks to me seeing [this video](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/post/620328505808453632/ch-this-is-how-superheroes-move-around-the-city) again, and I just. Carter is a rogue, he's badass. thems the rules. 
> 
> Huge shoutout to felineladyy yet again for helping me out <3 <3

Carter and Barnes were hidden in the shadow of a dark alleyway, looking out at the tall building across the street. They had been staking it out for the past few days, tracking guard movements, patterns when members of the house were generally in or out of the house. There were some documents that Curie needed inside, and had Wilde give them the task of getting them out, without anyone knowing they had been taken. Wilde had even supplied fake documents to replace them with to extend that realization. 

Barnes looked over at Carter, “Ready?”

Carter smirked lopsidedly, “As ever. It’s certainly the best time to go.”

They both stuck to the shadows as they made their way to the building, Carter barely even distinguishable within them. Barnes was less successful on that front, but that didn’t surprise him in the least. Carter moved like black silk falling through a starless sky. Barnes, did not. 

They eventually made it to the side of the building that they had decided would be the easiest to enter. Barnes nodded to Carter who nodded back. They had realized in their scouting that they wouldn’t be able to enter at the ground floor just due to the sheer amount of security precautions that were strewn throughout. But, apparently they didn’t believe that anyone could just… break in at a higher level. 

Carter had said he’d be able to get them up to the roof where they’d be able to easily sneak in and out. Barnes took him at his word. But he would be lying if he didn’t say he was surprised when Carter backed up about three or so meters from he building, turn and fast jog right back towards the building. But, at the last moment he leapt and his fingers just caught the ledge of the first storey window. His feet reaching up to find footholds on an ornamental decoration. From there Carter just… scaled the building, using small to nonexistent hand and footholds to reach the rooftop, and hauled himself over the edge. 

Barnes couldn’t take his eyes off of him the entire climb up. He  _ knew _ Carter was competent, not only had Barnes seen his knife throwing, and lockpicking skills in action, but Wilde would not have brought him on if he was just going to be a liability. But this? This was… well, if Barnes wasn’t in the middle of a mission he’d be tempted to loosen his collar, because it was definitely getting hot under there. 

A minute later a rope was tossed down, for which Barnes was immensely grateful for, because he knew he would not be able to scale the building in the same fashion as Carter had, but climbing ropes was something Barnes had been doing for a long time. When he pulled himself over the edge Barnes just looked at Carter, and whispered, “How in the hell did you do that?!”

Carter’s forehead wrinkled, “What, like it’s hard?”

Barnes had to use every ounce of his control to not laugh out loud. He had no idea how Carter was always able to do that; catch him so completely off guard, even when in the most serious or dire situations, and just… make him laugh. Barnes had never been quick to laughter, and he had never met anyone else who could do that to him. Barnes absolutely loved Carter for it.

Oh. 

_ Oh _ .

Well, this certainly wasn't the most convenient moment to realize you’ve fallen in love with your… what? Partner in crime? Good friend? Person you’re trying to help save the world with as it’s crashing down around your ears? 

“What’s that look for?” 

Barnes attempted to wipe the sappy smile off his face he knew was there. Well. Carter could tell it was a sappy smile, because Carter had actually learned to read his micro expressions that most never bothered to. Just because Barnes didn’t have a very expressive face, didn’t mean he didn’t still feel and react.

“I’ll tell you later. Let’s get the paperwork for Wilde, and get back to the safe house.”

Carter pouted a bit, like he was wont to do when he didn’t want to wait for something, “Promise?”

“Yeah, promise.”

\-------

“Really? You love me? Like,  _ love _ love?”

Barnes both loved and hated the hopeful, yet wary look in Howard’s eyes, like he wanted to believe him, but couldn’t quite bring himself to. It made Barnes so  _ angry _ that Howard had been treated that way, and he wanted to keel haul anyone who caused him hurt.. But that was not currently feasible, so instead Barnes would do everything in his power to make sure Howard never felt that way again. He reached out and cupped Howard’s cheek, and with the way he leaned into it, like he rarely ever received that kind of affection, just amplified his determination, “Yes, Howard. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”

Barnes leaned in, so slowly, as to give Howard all the time in the world to pull back if he wanted to, but he didn’t, so Barnes closed the gap, and kissed him. It wasn’t a particularly deep or passionate kiss, Barnes tried to convey as much of his feelings that he couldn’t accurately express into it. It seemed to be working because Howard deepened the kiss, and brought his own hand up to rest on Barnes’ collarbone. It was… a very nice kiss, until suddenly Howard pulled back.

“Wait, wait, wait. Did you just call me Howard?”  
  


Barnes didn’t have to hold it in this time, and laughed loudly and fully, unable to even stop to explain why. Yes, he certainly loved Howard, just for being exactly who he was, and he was going to make sure Howard understood that. Every, single, day. 

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to stop by and say hi over on [tumblr](https://kristsune.tumblr.com/) or [twitter!](https://twitter.com/Kristsune)
> 
> sidenote: after watching black sails, i now have a deeper, more visceral image for someone being keel hauled, and yeah. i feel this tracks for barnes, and honestly? Mood. lol


End file.
